WINGS
A film review by Sarah Elkins
Copyright 1996 Sarah Elkins
1927 silent, WWI fighter pilot movie
Plot kick-off: Mary loves Jack, who loves Silvia, who loves David. David and Jack train to become fighter pilots and Mary joins the Women's Army Motor Corps.
Characters/acting: Clara Bowe is engaging as Mary, the girl next door (literally, to Jack). As in so many silents, some of the actors seemed (to me) to be overdoing it a bit more than necessary, but not her. Gary Cooper has a small part.
Cinematography: One of the best reasons for seeing this film. The biplanes seemed more like strange birds swooping and wheeling than machines, except during the battle close-ups. There was an amazing shot of about ten planes trying to position themselves to fight each other. It reminded me of Richard Bach's essay, "I shot down the Red Baron" about being a pilot for a film shoot, but it all looked pretty real to me. I also liked the infantry marching scenes, which had battles greyed-out beyond the horizon.
Score: I saw this at this the Kennedy Center's screening theater for the American Film Institute, and we were lucky to have a wonderful pianist playing for us. I loved the score, which underscored and enhanced the moods of the film. The sprightly plinkings during the funny bits, the furious agitato during the fight scenes, war songs, and other songs of the era (e.g. "It's a long way to Tipperary") were all woven together; I'd love to have a tape of the performance.
Violence/gore/language: some may be puzzled/offended by the slang "Heinie(s)" for German(s).
Skin/situations: a kiss, a brief flash (clothes-changing) of partial nudity.
Analysis: I liked this film, though some parts (over-long scenes of a drunken Jack celebrating in Paris, the fourth or so shot of a plane's shadow passing over the training camp, the seventh or so shot of a plane trailing smoke as it plummets to the ground) could have used a sterner editor. Though some of it was dated, the plot was enjoyable enough (sometimes cliched, but given life whenever Clara Bowe was in it), and the flight scenes were magical.
Sarah Elkins (selkins@freenet.vcu.edu, http://www.maxm.com/users/selkins/review.html)
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